


When the Storm Ends

by the_Sagest_brush



Category: TAZ Amnesty - Fandom, The Adventure Zone (Podcast), The Adventure Zone Amnesty
Genre: Angst, Duck takes charge, Emotional Hurt, Grief/Mourning, Mild canon divergence, Minerva knows about greif, Picks up right after episode 28, Spoilers, Spoilers Amnesty episode 29, This was just a good time to write honestly, hurt/comfort I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-12 06:10:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19223227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_Sagest_brush/pseuds/the_Sagest_brush
Summary: Picks up an hour or two after the end of episode 28.Duck gets back to Kepler and has to deal with - all of it.I apparently was not emotionally wrecked enough by episode 28 so I had to make it worse for myself.Mainly Catharsis for me post ep 28 because I'm a sucker for grief/angst etc.Major spoilers for episodes 28 and 29





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm...... sorry?
> 
>  
> 
> I stayed up way too late working on this Fic and I'm just gonna publish it and hope for the best because I need to be free of it.  
> I didn't include any funeral things because lots of people have done the funeral and done it real good so - I did this instead.

The drive back from Greenbank is not a short one. Even if Duck is flooring it in Dr Sarah's little Kia hatchback.

  
But that gives him time to bring her, Minerva and Leo up to speed  
Leo knows most of it, as does Minerva of course. And between their (frequent) interruptions and Duck's anxious rambling, the explanation takes them all the way to Kepler. And it distracts him somewhat from the red light of the storm they're driving into.  
The thought definitely crosses Duck's mind that the last place in the world he wants to be is on this highway flying towards this storm.  
But Aubrey and Ned are in Kepler. And so are Mama, and Barclay, and - Duck grits his teeth and forces himself to focus on bringing Dr Drake up to speed.   
   
When they hit Kepler's main road, Duck has to pull over for a moment, to stare.  
It's dark, but the Full moon makes it pretty obvious.

Mt Kepler is - gone. Or at least most of it is. A couple of boulders have made their way into town, and it's a good thing the upper side of town is mostly abandoned. Because it's mostly buried.  
   
"fuck-"Duck says quietly, then and slams on the gas pedal, suddenly all the anxiety he's been holding back is gnawing at his chest, and if his knuckles weren't white around the steering wheel his hands would be shaking.  
"Duck Newton," Minerva says "Was your town always half-buried."  
"No." Duck says almost defensively. "Fuck, I was only gone for 4 hours what happened," he adds more to himself.  
They fly past lights and sirens and Duck guesses, rightly that they have more to worry about than a single speeding car. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck" He chants under his breath as they swing onto the forestry road that leads up to Amnesty.

  
"The Feds are gonna be all over this." Leo says from the backseat.  
"Yeah." Duck's jaw is starting to ache from how hard he's grinding his teeth.  Dr Sarah's car is shaking like it's about to come apart on the gravel, but no one says anything.  
Duck finally grinds it to a halt outside Amnesty lodge. He can't decide if the Cryptonomica Van and Mama's truck outside the lodge are a good sign or a bad one.  
He's halfway to the door before he thinks to turn back.  
"Just - Wait here a sec. They're not really into visitors."

  
Dr Sarah and Leo nod.  
Minerva is still unfolding herself from the car.

  
Duck jumps the steps and flings open the door.  
To his relief, there are still people here. He's more concerned when he realizes they're packing up.

  
"Duck?" He turns to the couches and sees Aubrey, pale, and obviously on some pretty strong pain meds. An unfamiliar sylph is tending to a wound on her thigh. Aubrey sits up like she wants to come over to the door, then winces and the sylph puts a hand on her shoulder. Duck crosses the lobby as Aubrey stutters.  
"Duck- I" She pauses.  
"Aubrey, what happened to your eyes?" They both match now, the Brilliant orange hue of Sylvain's crystal. Aubrey shakes her head and rubs a hand across her face.  
"I- the Crystal. The Mountain... Ned..."

  
There aren't really words for the abyss of fear that wells up in Duck's chest as Aubrey folds in on herself, with a sob. The sylph is rubbing Aubrey's shoulder and looks both guilty and concerned.  Duck sits down beside Aubrey and puts an arm around her. Aubrey really is sobbing now, and Duck isn't really sure what else to do so he rubs her shoulder gently. "Hey, it's gonna be ok." He feels her shake her head against his shoulder as she wraps her arms around him. But before she can say anything, a booming voice echos through the lodge.

  
"DUCK NEWTON. THIS IS YOUR AMNESTY LODGE?" Aubrey's arms clutch tighter around Duck's chest reflexively, and he sighs.  
"Timing Minerva - fuck. Give me a sec Aubrey." Reluctantly, Aubrey releases her grip around Duck's chest, still crying, but also staring at the vaguely blue-skinned giantess currently standing slightly hunched in the doorway surveying the room.  
"Minerva, welcome to Amnesty Lodge, Amnesty Lodge, this is Minerva. Long story, she's cool, Leo and Dr Sarah outside are cool too. Listen, the abomination is dead, but the feds are going to hit town pretty quick so we gotta hustle here. Where are Mama and Barclay?" Duck isn't sure where this sudden rush of confidence or whatever it is, is coming from, but he kind of likes it.  
"Uh, well, Mama's with the Sheriff and Barclay's with Dani." Jake Coolice says from where he's wrestling some stuff into a bag for Moira.  
"What happened to Dani?" Duck asks at the same moment Barclay steps through the back door carrying a dripping wet Dani.

  
"Oh - Duck." Barclay is lost for words for a minute as he takes in Minerva, Then he glances down at the bedraggled sylph in his arms. "There's... a lot."  
"Yeah, I gather." Duck says "But first things first, the abomination is dead and we gotta clear this place out." Barclay nods, still staring at Minerva.  
"You brought help."  
"Yeah -details later I guess."  
   
Amnesty clears out relatively quickly. It surprises Duck a little, to be honest. He gets Dr Sarah and Leo to walk through everything and make sure they haven't left anything obvious behind. And He Minerva and Barclay manage to wrangle Thacker into the back of the banged-up Cryptonomica van. 

 

What they're going to do with Thacker once they need to get him out of the Cryptonomica van Duck has no idea.

And then there's everyone else.  
Leo claims Minerva thankfully. Duck's not sure what he would do if he had to put Minerva in a guest room. Leo also volunteers to take a couple more sylphs, and Dr Sarah volunteers her own house just outside Kepler.  
Aubrey is oddly insistent that she stay with Duck, which means the Sylph who Duck eventually realizes is Janelle, will come with her, and Dani's not really in the condition to travel so Duck invites her and Barclay to his place too.

 

Probably better for Dani and Aubrey to be in close proximity anyway, Duck figures, after the night it looks like they've had.  
Everyone else is divided between Dr Sarah and Leo for the night, with the condition that they meet up again tomorrow at the Cryptonomica to discuss.  
Everyone gives each other a look when Duck suggests that. And it occurs to him that he hasn't seen Ned yet.  
'It's probably fine.' he mutters as he throws the last bag in the back of Mama's truck. 'Ned's got history with the Sheriff, he's just with Mama.' but there's a niggling feeling that it's not fine. The look on Aubrey's face, the broken sentence - Ned - 

Duck shakes his head, but the thought won't go away.

  
It's past 2 am when everyone is finally settled.  
Aubrey kept trying to talk to Duck, but there was just so much... -  by the time Duck finally has a moment to think, Aubrey's passed out in the guest bedroom with Dani and Janelle. Duck and Barclay decided to leave Thacker in the van, and throw a blanket across the dash, so no one sees him. Then Barclay takes the couch.

 

Duck is relieved to close his bedroom door and collapse onto his bed. And he's too exhausted to think about it.  
 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Duck Finds out, the morning occurs... Minerva and Duck have a chat

Blearily Duck glances at the alarm clock.  
10 am  
Could be worse.  
At least it's Saturday.  
At least, Duck thinks its Saturday.

He can smell sausages cooking, He sighs and rolls out of bed.  
Barclay is the only one up and is wandering around the kitchen with the kitchen supplies he brought from the lodge.  
“Hey, Barclay” Duck says slipping past him to the coffee pot.  
“Duck?” Barclay turns from the stove, but avoid’s Duck’s eye. “It occurred to me that I should probably get you up to speed.”

  
“I mean, you can save it for Leo and Minerva too.” Duck says pouring himself a cup of coffee and trying to shrug off the creeping fear that has suddenly returned.  
“Well- there’s something I think you should know.”  
Barclay’s usually either stressed or uptight. But there’s an extra tension in the big man’s voice and Duck glances up.  
Barclay has turned down the stove and is rubbing his hands anxiously.  
“A'right, well, what happened.”

  
Barclay stares at a spot on the floor. “Well- about an hour and a half after you left, we were at the lodge, Ned hadn’t shown back up yet, and then, suddenly there he is on the TV telling Kepler there’re monsters coming through the gate and rallying them to fight.”

“Now hold on-“ Barclay makes a shushing gesture.

“Yeah it was the Abomination but that didn’t change the fact that a lot of the town, and all the Hornets, and the police showed up at the gate with guns and shit.”  
“Fuck.” Duck says quietly, dread creeping into his chest. Barclay nods.  
“So Aubrey showed up later, mad as hell, with that wound in her leg that she’d healed up a bit. And she jumped through the gate to warn Sylvain, and about ten minutes later Ned shows up. Tells the crowd some bullshit that gets the Hornets and about half the rest of the crowd to leave and go somewhere else.”

  
The cat mewed and jumped up onto the counter. Duck picked him up and scratched his ears, absently realizing as the cat started to purr that his hands were shaking.

Barclay stares into the middle distance for a minute then takes a deep breath and continues  
“Well, then there was this - light sarcophagus I guess? Showed up, Ned tried to get everyone to leave, but of course, they weren’t doing that, then the sarcophagus dissappeared, and.” Barclay exhales adn rubs a hand over his face.  
“It was Dani. Duck, and she’d been in there for - I dunno, 3 days? 4? She was just feral. And she took off towards the crowd.” The cat squacked and Duck flinched realizing how hard he was holding it. Barclay glanced up and away, rubbing his hand across his face again. But Duck already knows

“Ned took the hit.” Duck says, trying not to choke on the words.

“Yeah.” Barclay says. “He tackled her before she could get to the crowd, but one of the kids in the crowd took a shot and, uh.”  
“Fuck.”  
“I dragged Dani back to the lodge - Not sure what happened, but when Janelle brought Aubrey to the lodge...”  
Duck’s entire chest feels hollow.  
“Fuck.” He says again.

 

Aubrey shuts the door behind herself and Duck glances up.  
“Hey Aud-brey.” He stutters halfway through her name and Aubrey half chuckles half sobs.  
“Hey Duck. I uh-”

There’s a knock on the door and Duck glances at Barclay, then sets down his cat and goes to answer it.

It’s Sheriff Owens.  
“Hey Duck, sorry to uh, show up on your doorstep, but, have you heard from Aubrey?”  
“No.” Duck says without thinking  
“Well,” The sheriff shuffles a little. “If you see her, let her know the Feds are looking for her. The rest of your crew too. I don’t know why I’m telling you this, but - “ He sighs  
“Mama got taken in for questioning, and, what with Ned and all - Well, I dunno. Duck, maybe last night convinced me why y’all played this so close to your chest.”  
“Sure.” Duck says hollowly.  
“Sorry. Just - “ He sighs. “Lay low for a while.”  
“Yeah.”  
The sheriff looks like he's about to say something else then turns and walks back down the stairs.  
“Duck?” Duck jumps as he closes the door. “That was, pretty good for a lousy liar.”  
“Yeah, I guess so.” It didn’t feel good. It didn’t feel like anything to be honest.

  
Duck gets halfway back to the counter and his coffee when there's another knock. Reluctantly Duck pivots on his heel and opens the door again.  
“GOOD MORNING DUCK NEWTON.”  
“Hey Minerva.” Duck steps aside letting Leo, Minerva, Jake Coolice, and - the two werewolves, Duck couldn’t remember their names, file into his apartment  
Janelle and Dani wake up and join them not long after. Barclay feeds them. Duck tries not to panic too much.  
11 people is more than he has ever had in this apartment.  
Leo, Barclay and the werewolves take the chairs, Janelle Aubrey Dani and Jake Coolice take the couch. Minerva sits cross-legged on the floor, she’s practically eye level with everyone who’s seated anyway.  
Duck drags his old camp chair out of the closet and sets it up with the back to the television, he feels vaguely like he’s watching the scene through a TV screen or something. The conversation is mostly just white noise, and he feels like something's snapped in his chest.  
“Duck-" He blinks and glances over. "Is she always like this?” Aubrey asks lowly leaning over from where she’s perched on the armrest of the couch as she watches Minerva compliment Barclay on the food.  
Duck watches Barclay obviously uncomfortable with not being the largest person in the room try not to get flustered as Minerva exclaims over the food and chuckles.  
“Mostly, Yeah.” Aubrey smirks

  
“Suddenly I understand why you’re so - tired of everything.”  
“Hey.” Duck sets down his plate and looks affronted. Aubrey laughs, which is, a good sound.

  
But not everyone is on-board with the distractions. Leo slides his plate aside and rests an elbow on the table. “So, what happened last night?” Everyone goes quiet, and Barclay sighs heavily and looks at Leo and Minerva.  
“How much do you know about Sylvain?” Leo laughs,  
“I protected New York from Abominations for 30 years Barclay, and, Duck caught me up on the details of your operation here. You don’t need to give me too much history.”  
Barclay blinks.  
“What?”  
“We’ll do the introduction run around later. Consider me and Minerva caught up to about noon yesterday.”

  
“Before we do that,” Duck interjects. “As great a breakfast discussion as that would be, I’m going to call Dr Sarah and see when she can meet us at the Cryptonomica, Lets only go over this once.”  
Leo blinks, then nods slowly, and the sylphs in the room look relieved. Duck walks to the phone, trying not to lose his composure.   
He dials Dr Sarah’s number as one of the werewolves starts questioning Leo about New York.  
“Hello?”  
“Hey Dr Sarah, Ho-“  
“Oh thank the lord, I’m not losing it am I Duck? Last night legitimately happened?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Ok, and these people in my house are?”  
“Sylphs, yeah, uh, you wanna come into town for breakfast or?”  
“No, No, Barclay sent some food with me, we’re meeting at the Cryptonomica right?”  
“Yeah. when do you think you’ll come?”  
“About an hour? everyone is up, we've just got to get everyone fed.”  
“Sure, sounds good.”

  
Duck walks back to the group.  
“So, uh, I guess Dr Sarah and them’ll meet us at the cryptonomica in about an hour." Everyone is watching Duck and he suddenly stops on his way back to his seat. "Y'know, I’m gonna, step out for a minute.”

He considers saying something about an errand but decides against it.   
“I’ll be back.”

  
Duck closes the door behind himself and exhales, long and slow into the quiet of the hallway as a more subdued conversation starts to pick up again.  
He stares into the middle distance for a minute before wandering downstairs and out the front door into the parking lot.

  
“Hey Duck do you smoke?”  
Its an idle question, Aubrey’s flicking the fire on and off her fingers. Where it happened Duck doesn’t remember  
“He used to if I remember correctly.” Ned says teasingly  
“Shove off Ned I was clean way before you got to town.”  
“As I recall.” Ned counters. “You were not above the odd smoke behind the appartment when work got stressfull.”  
“Hey! I, I was just - Alright, but-“ Duck sighs in defeat. “I don’t anymore.”  
“But you used to?”  
“Yeah I used to.” Aubrey giggles.  
“Well, If you’re ever inclined, I got a light.”  
“Don’t tempt a sober man Aubrey!” Ned chides, laughing.

 

Duck sits down on the curb and leans against the wall of the building. It’s an inane memory. But, he could use a smoke. Bad for trees maybe, but a damn good excuse to get away from people for a minute.  
Duck is a little surprised how bad it feels.  
He and Ned have only really been friends for what- a year? Sort of? They've known each other for longer of course, but, really -  
Duck sighs a little shakily and picks up a piece of gravel by his foot, and skips it across the parking lot.

  
“Duck Newton.”  
Duck starts, “Hey Minerva.” His mentor is standing over him,  
“Is something wrong, you seem - “  
“Nah, everything - Everythings fine, I just needed some air.”  
Minerva doesn’t move.  
“You do not look like everything is fine Duck Newton.”  
“Just take my word for it Minnie I’m -“ Duck rubs his jaw and is surprised to feel that it's damp. He rubs the tears off his cheeks and laughs half-heartedly. “Alright fine. I’m a lousy liar anyway.“  
Minerva sits down beside him. “What is wrong Duck Newton?”

  
“Well Minerva, I guess, Ned, uh, Ned died last night and I - well, it’s got me a bit shook up.” Minerva doesn’t say anything and Duck keeps talking, staring straight ahead.  
“Can’t reckon why, it surprised me so much. Damn fool always was first in line to put his life on the line for something or other.”  
Duck swipes at his face again with his coat sleeve this time. “Guess I uh, Guess I just never thought it’d catch up to him, y’know?” There’s a long moment of silence and Duck has the terrible sensation that Minerva has just vanished like she always used to. But, she’s still sitting beside him, hands clasped, staring at the ground with a very vulnerable, very human, look on her face.

  
“I am sorry to hear that Duck Newton.” She says quietly in the same tone she used when she told him about the genocide.  
“Listen Minnie, I don’t, - you lost your entire planet I’m not - I’ll be fine.”

“Duck Newton," Minerva's tone turns chiding. "Grief is grief, do not downplay your loss out of some sense of greater or less than. Yes, I have lost a great deal, but, so have you. Your friend was important. You must grieve his loss or become a lesser person because you refused too.”

  
Duck gives a choked laugh and runs his arm across his face. “Damn Minerva, you make it sound so noble. I’m just crying in a parking lot.”

  
Minerva puts her hand on Duck’s shoulder but doesn’t say anything.  
“Its just-“ He says staring at the woods beyond the parking lot. “For all my talk about just being a regular dipshit with a sword, Ned, well he really was just a guy.” Duck chuckles “A crazy guy maybe, but, just a guy. And how he died - I dunno, I guess I just kinda thought he was invincible.”

  
“Perhaps that is the hardest lesson.” Minerva says quietly, “That no one is invincible. Not even the ones we love.”

  
Duck lets out a couple of sobs and rubs his face with his hands. “I just, I feel like I should have been there y’know?” He chokes on another sob and clasps his hands in his lap. “Like I should have been able to do something.”

  
“I know Duck Newton.” Minerva says softly her hand still firmly on his shoulder. “I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this might seem a little OOc for which I apologize I guess, but I'm just doing my best here so I also don't


	3. Welcome to the Pine Guard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doesn't really need to be separate, but the last chapter was getting long, and its easier to edit in small chunks so Here we are.  
> Everyone meets at the Cryptonomica

No one is particularly happy when they pull into the Cryptonomica parking lot to see Hollis and a few other Hornets standing awkwardly by the door, their bikes parked off to one side.

"What are they doing here." Aubrey hisses. Duck jumps out of the van and catches Aubrey's arm before she can storm over.

"Look, Aubrey, Not now ok?" Aubrey jerks her arm away but doesn't resume her steam-roll approach. "Just-" Duck glances back at the van. "Just get Dani settled inside ok?" 

Aubrey considers for a moment but then nods slowly. 

"Sure Duck." 

"Thanks." 

Dr Sarah pulls in beside Mama’s truck as Aubrey puts an arm around Dani and starts walking her towards the Cryptonomica. Barclay pacing behind like some sort of bodyguard.

Which, if Duck is being honest, he probably is.

Moira herds the sylphs Dr. drake housed into the Cryptonomica, and suddenly its just Leo, Minerva and Dr Sarah Drake and Hollis and the Hornets.

"I'll be right in." Duck says waving a hand.

"DUCK NEWTON WHAT IS-" Minerva halts mid-sentence as Leo elbows her and jerks his head towards the cryptonomica. Dr Sarah Drake sighs heavily and follows.

And then it's Just Duck and the Hornets in the parking lot.   
“Alright.” He says as the cryptonomica door swings shut behind Dr Drake. “Let's hear it.”

  
“Look.” Hollis says, “ I know I was a bit - Zealous last time we talked and not much has changed about that, but this-“ they gesture to the town. “I didn’t intend for it to blow up like this, and -” they pause “You’ve lost people too. I get that now, you’re not, I guess y’all weren’t total dipshits for keeping this under wraps. I mean, it was still shitty of you, and I'm mad, but, I get it.”

  
“Thanks, I think.” Duck sighs. “Ok, well, we’ve got a meeting of the guard so to speak," He gestures to the door. "Y'all might as well join in.” He pauses halfway through holding the door. “You didn’t bring Keith did you?”  
Hollis laughs as they and their small posse file through the door. “No - no I did not.”

  
“- Left me the cryptonomica without so much as a ‘see ya around.”” Kirby was saying as Duck stepped inside.  
Aubrey is holding a piece of paper, looking stricken. Duck winces.  
“Oh, hey Duck,” Kirby hands over a piece of paper “Guess Ned finally split.”  
Duck studies the paper for a minute.  
It’s his name, written in Ned’s flamboyant handwriting. Duck turns it over, and half unfolds it, then swallows the lump in his throat and folds the paper up again.   
Better not to think about all that right now. 

  
“Listen, Kirby, can we use the back room?” Kirby shrugs.  
“Sure. Hell, you can use the front, not like we’re gonna get many visitors today, what with.” He gestures vaguely.

  
“Yeah, And, well, Hell you might as well come on back too. This’ll concern you as much as the rest of us.”

  
It takes a bit for everyone to get settled. Duck and Barclay drag a table to the middle of the room and get everyone seated on boxes, or display cases or, whatever is vaguely seat shaped. Aubrey very consciously sits as far away from the Hornets as she can. Minerva can stand fully upright in this room, which she does, looming like a statue of a warrior god. 

Once the scraping of furniture ceases the silence becomes apparent. No one wants to go first. Hollis twitches like they would like to jump up but, they don’t. Aubrey is holding Dani’s hand and staring at the floor. Not even Barclay steps up.

Duck accidentally makes eye contact with Minerva and groans internally as she nods at him. He looks away and meets Leo's eye instead, Leo also nods, with a little more sympathy perhaps, but, he nods.   

“Alright fine.” Duck says, glaring at Minerva. “I guess I’ll get us started. We got a lot of shit to cover so, there won’t be much ceremony or any of that." Duck stands up.

"We got some new recruits I guess Janelle from Sylvain, Dr Sarah Drake from the Greenbank Telescope, Leo from the grocery store, and Minerva from -" Duck pauses as he gestures to Minerva.

"I'M FROM ANOTHER PLANET." Minerva supplies.

"- Yeah, that." Duck says, "Alright, most of you know we've got an abomination problem, good news is, this one's dead so we've got roughly two months before the next one shows up. Bad news is we know tMama's been taken in for questioning and we're going to have to dodge the feds and keep everybody under the radar for the next how-ever long if we want to keep from starting a war." Duck pauses and surveys the room. Leo is nodding slowly, and Barclay steps up beside Duck with a laptop, and a map. Duck exhales and glances at Aubrey and Minerva. Aubrey gives Duck a subdued thumbs up from her seat, Minerva is beaming. Duck leans over the table. 

"Well - Welcome to the Pine Guard I guess. Let's get started.”


End file.
